Beet-harvester.



PATENTED MAY 3, 1904.

J. B. STRUBLE. BEET HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21. 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H0 MODEL.

OHN- B- s RUBLE- No. 759,188. PATBNTED MAY 3, 1904. J. B. STRUBLE.

BEBT HARVESTER.

APPLICATION mum APR. 21, 1903. no 110mm. 3 SHEETS-SHEET a.

DMA/wsX/VM.

' JO HN B STRIIBLE.

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UNITED STATES Patented May 3, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

BE ET-HARVESTEFI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,138, dated May 3, 1904.

Application filed April 21, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN B. STRUBLE, acitizen of the United States, residing at Shepherd, in the county of Isabella and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beet-Harvesters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to improvements in beet-harvesters; and it is the object of the invention to obtain a construction in which the beets are pulled, freed from the adhering dirt, topped, and finally delivered.

It is a further object to provide means whereby the operator can accurately guide the machine in relation to the rows of beets.

The invention consists in the peculiar con struction, arrangement, and combination of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation,partly broken away,of the machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section in the plane of the axis of the extractor. Fig. 4 is a plan view illustrating the action of the clamping-jaws. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the topping mechanism. Fig. 6 is a side elevation thereof, and Fig. 7

,is a plan.

A is a frame mounted upon the rear axle B, having ground-wheels C, and D is a pivotal truck supporting the forward end of the frame. Suspended from this frame A is a second frame E, which is vertically adjustably secured to the frame Aand is also free to have a limited lateral movement. The frame E carries all of the operative parts of the mechanism, comprising, first, a plow for removing the earth upon opposite sides of a row of beets and, second, the pulling mechanism in rear of the plow adapted to successively extract beets.

As shown in the drawings, the machine is provided with devices for simultaneously operating upon two rows of beets; but it is obvious that a machine for operating upon a single row might be employed, or, if it is desirable, it may be adapted for operating upon even a large number of rows.

F represents the plows for the several rows Serial No. 153,616. (No model.)

of beets, each of which is bifurcated to straddle the row with sufficient clearance to avoid cutting the beets.

In detail, a represents hangers depending from the frame E, t represents inclined moldboards on the outer side of each hanger, and 0 represents parallel blades on the inner side of said hangers.

In the rear of each plow F is an extractor consisting of a rotary head G having a circular series of radially-extending jawsH secured thereto. The jaws H are arranged in pairs, the members of which are upon opposite sides of the row of beets and are movable toward or from each other. As shown, the inner ends of the jaws are pivoted to the head G, and a spring I is arranged to bear upon the jaw and normally hold it in its outer position.

J is a shaft upon which the heads G are mounted, said shaft extending transversely of the frame E and journaled in bearings thereon. This shaft preferably has a drive connection with the rear axle B, such as a sprocket-andchain connection K. By means of this drive the heads Gr, together with the jaws carried thereby, are rotated at the same peripheral speed as the ground -wheels 0, and consequently the jaws H successively embrace the row of beets and are momentarily in fixed relation thereto". In normal position the members of each pair of jaws are separated from each other by a space substantially equal to that between the furcations of the plow F and suflicient to clear the beets in the row.

Upon opposite sides of the head G are arranged cams L, which are secured to the frame E by any suitable means, such as the braces d and bearings (2 upon the shaft J. These cams are of such shape as to engage with the jaws H at a fixed point in the rotation of same and move the opposite members of each pair inward or toward each other. The point of engagement is. preferably located in the vertical plane of the shaft J, so that each of the jaws will be operated when extending vertically downward and will thus clamp the adjacent beet. In order to prevent friction,

I preferably form the cams L of a series of rolls f. These are arranged in circular series extending from the polnt of engagement above referred to to a point spaced therefrom by half I a revolution of the head. The arrangement is such that each beet after being clamped between a pair of jaws is withdrawn from the earth and carried around through a halfrevolution or more, during which time the adhering earth is shaken off. Just before the termination of the cam L the beets clamped by the jaws H are topped by mechanism of the following construction: M is a cutter comprising the stationary finger g and the reciprocatory sickle-bar h. The fingers g are carried by a bracket 2', extending rearward from a rock-shaft], journaled in the frame E. The bracket is located so as to extend between the separated jaws H beyond the point of termination of the cam L. The fingers g are, however, located at a point where the adjacent jaws H are still in clamped position, due to their engagement with the cam L. 0 represents guides projecting rearward from the bracket 2' and preferably in the form of roller-disks. These guides extend in the path of the beets carried by the jaws/t and are adapted to come in contact with the end of each beet, so that in the further movement of the jaws the bracket will be rocked. This will move the cutter M in the proper position to sever the top without cutting into the body of the beet. Inasmuch as the beets are of different length and will be clamped in different relations to the jaws H, it is obvious that a stationary cutter would not operate upon all alike, but by means of the movable cutter and guides just described a uniform topping is obtained.

The rock-shaft is normally held in its position by a spring m.

u is an actuating-lever for the sickle-bar 71., and this lever is pivoted to the bracket i and has a foiwvardly-extending shank 0 connected thereto by a knuckle-joint p. of the shank 0 is connected with a sliding cross-bar g, which at one end is connected to a rock-arm 9', actuated by a crank a. This crank is secured to a shaft t, and the latter is driven by intermeshing beveled gears '0 from shaft J.

N is adischarge-chute for the beets, which is arranged adjacent to the cutter M and inclines downward toward the front of the machine. This chute is so arranged that it will catch the beets as they are freed from the jaws H by the disengagement of the latter from the cam L and will direct said beets downward to an inclined chute O, standing to one side of the machine. P is a chute arranged between the jaws H below the cutter M and adapted to receive the severed tops and to convey them to the inclined chute Q, extending to the opposite side of the machine. All of these chutes N, O, P, and Q are socured in position by suitable connections with the frame E.

As has already been stated, the frame E is suspended from the frame A. As shown,

The free endchine.

chains R connect the frame E with the frame A at the rear end, and chains R connect the forward end of the frame E with rock-arms S upon the rock shaft S, journaled in the frame A.

S is a lever upon the rock-shaft S, by means of which the arms S may swing to raise or lower the frame E.

It is necessary to provide means for shifting the frame E laterally, so that the plows F and extractors may be exactly alined with the rows. The means shown comprises a lever T, fulcrumed upon a cross-bar on the frame A and engaging at its opposite end with the forward cross-bar of the frame E. This lever extends in proximity to the seat U for theoperator.

The parts being constructed as shown and described, the operation is as follows: The frame A is drawn by any suitable draft-rigging, so that the wheels pass between the rows of beets, while the plowsF are arranged to straddle the rows, as above described. By adjusting the position of the lever S the frame E may be lowered so as to insert the plows F the proper distance in the earth. This will result in removing the earth from the opposite sides of-the row, leaving a ridge of earth in which the beets are arranged. .In the continued forward movement of the machine the extractors will straddle this ridge of earth and each of these pairs of jaws H will be successively moved inward by the cams L, so as to clamp the adjacent beet. The beet thus clamped is carried around by the jaws until it comes into proximity with the guides 6 which latter will bearupon the top end of the beet and draw the cutter M into the proper position for severing the top. As soon as the top is severed the top of the beet will be disengaged from the jaws and will fall into the chute N, from which it is directed into the chute O and discharged at the side of the machine. Simultaneously the severed top will be directed by the chute P into the chute Q and discharged on the opposite side of the ma- To keep the plows and extractors in exact registration with the rows, the operator moves the lever T, and thereby swings the frame E from one side to the other as required. The lever S- is also under his control, so that the frame may be raised or lowered, as desired. At the end of each row the frame can be lifted for the turning of the machine and subsequently lowered again in engagement with another row.

The drive connection K will insure rotation of the extractors at the same peripheral speed of the ground-wheels, and when the frame is raised and the machine is out of use this drive may be disengaged by the operation of a clutch V upon shaft J.

hat 1 claim as my invention is- 1. The combination with a traveling frame, of a rotary extractor mounted therein and carrying a series of row -straddling members, comprising a pair of movable arms, cams arranged upon the rotation of said extractor to operate upon said arms to cause the jaws to clamp a beet, means for releasing said beet after a partial rotation, and a movable knife between thepoint of clamping and unclamping for severing the top from said beets.

2. The combination with a traveling frame of a rotary extractor adapted to successively clamp, draw and release the beets, a pivoted cutter adjacent to the line of travel of said extractor, and means whereby upon the forward movement of the machine the pivoted cutter will be automatically operated to sever the top from the beets while in their clamped position.

3. The combination with a traveling frame of a rotary extractor adapted to successively clamp, draw and release the beets, a pivotally-mounted cutter for severing the tops between the points of clamping and releasing and means for automatically shifting said outter on its pivot to bring the same in proper relation to successive beets.

4. The combination with a traveling frame, of a rotary extractor carrying a series of row straddling jaws adapted to be successively clamped and released at fixed points in their rotation a rock-arm mounted on said frame and extending between said jaws in their released position, a cutter at the inner end of said armand guide-rolls on said arm for engaging the beets and moving said cutter in proper relation thereto for severing the tops.

5. The combination with a traveling frame, of a rotary extractor adapted to successively clamp, draw and release the beets, a cutter for severing the tops between the points of clamping and releasing and means for automatically adjusting said cutter in proper relation to successive beets.

6. The combination with a rotary extractor carrying a series of row-straddling jaws adapted to be successively clamped and released at fixed points in their rotation, of an arm extending between said jaws in their released position, and a cutter at the inner end of said arm adapted to sever the tops of the beets while the latter are still clamped.

7. The combination with a traveling frame of a rotary extractor carrying a series of rowstraddling jaws adapted to be successively clamped and released at fixed points in their rotation, a rock-arm mounted on said frame and extending between said jaws in their released position, a cutter at the inner end of said rock-arm and a guide on said arm for engaging the beets and moving said cutter in proper relation thereto for severing the tops.

8. The combination with a traveling frame, of a rotary extractor mounted thereon having a series of row-straddling jaws, said jaws being adapted, in their rotation, to successively clamp, pull and release the beets, an arm projecting between said jaws having fingers at its inner end, a sickle-bar for cooperating with said fingers to sever the tops from the beets, a lever for actuating said sickle-bar and means operated by the forward movement of said frame for reciprocating said lever.

In testimony whereofI aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. STRUBLE.

Witnesses:

LoT'rIn TINGLEY 1 Gnaon T. WALLING. 

